Well, this really should have been a 50-55 minute swim. Not so much. Sometimes bad things happen, and sometimes they happen on race day. Today, I discovered that my spit apparently no longer has any anti-fogging properties for my goggles. I stopped at the first 4 kayaks in a row trying to fix them, and then just asked one of the kayakers if they would just take the darn things cause I didn't want to just leave them in the lake. (Well, I really DID want to leave them in the lake, but that's not environmentally nice.)

Second issue was the wetsuit. It's never been particularly comfortable, but I kept writing it off as "not being used to it" - it finally crystallized as I attempted to get ANY kind of decent stroke with no results whatsoever - the darn thing is TOO SMALL. It's too tight around my legs and I was kind of fighting to kick, and the top constricts my chest too much, and it is just REALLY hard to move in. So, I was kind of just mucking along as best I could. At least I had my prescription sunglasses in my bag at T1 so if my contacts got destroyed, I could still continue.

The BEST part was the people. Those of us at the back had all the kayakers to ourselves after a while. We're laughing and joking and they're just super folks. I spent some time talking to a fellow swimmer named Lizzie who had a "watch me" swim cap (anyone that feels icky about the swim could get one of these and the kayakers would stay close.) and kept telling her how awesome she was doing.

Then there was my angel Phillip. He was slated for the first wave and ended up going out w/us (last wave) as he'd had an neck injury but still wanted to give it a go today, for fun if nothing else. We were basically going the same speed - not sure who was pacing who, but we had a great time talking about the race, marathon training, the biology of increasing VO2Max, and other stuff. I had started my watch when we went in, so we were doing time checks as we went along, trying to beat the limit, 1:15 after the last wave start. (You can bet I had that number memorized) We beat it.

The kayakers tried to kick us out of the water and I assured them that it was NOT a one hour limit, it was 1:15, cause there was no way I'd have signed on for this with a one hour limit. One kayaker got our numbers and made sure no one absconded with our bikes and another kept going back and forth between us and someone on shore as I repeatedly told them it was a 1:15 limit and we were gonna go around the spillway and FINISH this, not cut across the course, and they'd have to catch us first! (OK, not a difficult thing considering our speed, but..) She told us to go for it.

It's been a long time since I was THAT grateful to have some solid ground under my feet. Surprisingly, I was 3rd to last out of the water, not the last that I had predicted.

I still rank this swim as "good" - I finished within the time limits, never panicked, and I SWAM A FREAKIN' MILE IN OPEN WATER! Snagging a ride back just didn't even enter my mind.

Have goggles that didn't decide to repeatedly fog up on me, and it's obviously time to test drive wetsuits in some larger sizes. Should have skipped the wetsuit altogether - I was in colder water yesterday and didn't melt.

Since there were just 3 of us left, it was VERY easy to find my bike. :)

The volunteers were already packing up the truck with everyone's bags to take them to the finish and there was one gal who just ran over to me and said, "I'll pack your stuff in your bag, just grab what you need and go!" She certainly didn't have to do that, but I really appreciated it!

Nothing, it actually went pretty well, didn't get my watch or chip caught on anything.

Despite the swim taking about 20 minutes longer than planned, the bike was the hardest for me. Timewise, it only took about 3.5 minutes longer than I'd orignally thought it would, so that wasn't too bad. Mentally, it was rough.

First loop was shaking off the swim issues, trying to calculate breaking the 10:30 limit on the fly (when the police leave the course), and just getting the lay of the land again. Didn't help that someone in T1 had said we had no police support cause of the length of the swim - I have NO idea what she actually meant, because there were TONS of volunteers and police out there, even for those of us way, WAY back in the back.

Second loop was the hardest - lots of sweet volunteers thinking I was on the 3rd loop, which I wasn't and at about mile 10, I was just miserable. I didn't dry off particularly well in T1, so I was kinda cold, my toes were going numb, as well as 2 of my fingers. I wanted off that bike SO badly. Kept looking down at my arm. Do it for Mike. Kept reminding myself that I had conquered the Oly distance bike course at Colonial Beach. Getting past the halfway point was a huge boost.

Finally I hit the 3rd loop and hit my stride. Sounds cruel, but I was REALLY happy I wasn't going to have to see these volunteers or police officers yet again. I would get to make the magical LEFT TURN off the course after the high school! I knew I'd beat the 10:30 limit, maybe by the skin of my teeth, but I would make it.

The volunteers & police on the course were simply fantastic. They kept telling me I wasn't last, but I was pretty sure that they were just saying that to make me feel better. :) I just felt bad they were stuck out there for so long.

Beat the 10:30 limit by 7 minutes. WOOHOO! In T2, one of the volunteers asked if I was the last in - I told him what the other volunteers had told me, but also warned it might have just been one of those very kind lies.

I can't really think of anything that would be within my control to change. The extra time on the swim took a little wind out of my sails for a bit, but I got past that, and got over the 2nd loop hump, so it's all good.

Another big thanks to the volunteers. One of them saw me come in, stuck with me to my rack (I'm sure to make sure I could find it - and it took me a second to figure out where my stuff was, all I remembered was "run til you hit the fence, your rack is there.) As I was getting my bike racked I managed to knock over the one next to me - oh crap - he grabbed it, said just go run and he'd fix it. Again, they totally did NOT have to do that, and it was SO appreciated.

Not take out the bike next to me? Granted, I was just happy it didn't create a domino effect.

By now, I was tired. Not bonking tired, just "wow, I've done a lot" tired. Set my watch for 4/1 intervals (and giving myself permission to walk whenever I just felt like it) - this is about finishing, not encountering Death by Triathlon somewhere along the course.

By now, I know I am not gonna make the 4 hour mark, but at least the trail is actually pretty well marked, so I should be able to find my way back after the turnaround. The time pressure is off - it's all about just keeping up forward momentum in some form or fashion. No "bike leg" problems at least!

Hit the first water station in pretty decent time, feeling good, if not fast. Probably around mile 2 I slowed down a little more (I didn't notice the mile markers until I was on the way back) but kept going. Little voice in my head is going, "You know, you could stop and rest if you wanted to." Nope, kept looking down at my arm. Do it for Mike.

Next thing I know, a volunteer is telling me "Hey, you're at mile 3!" Huh? Granted, I was certainly NOT flying down the course, but it seemed to show up really fast. Grabbed some water and headed for the turnaround. Three lovely volunteers at the turnaround - I couldn't help but ask, "OK, do I go around you, pat you all on the head, what?" Yeah, the smartass was still in full force. Got a high five and back I went.

Whole slew of kids volunteering, too just a bit past the turnaround and they're cheering for me, and I tell them all they should do this next year - so what do they do?
"We'll run with you now and cheer you on!"
and so they do...
"Um, guys, if I have to keep up with you, I'm gonna throw up."
"OK, we'll slow down, it's YOUR pace!"
Totally sweet and adorable, got some more water and showed them the magic of "walking the water break".

Had to stop and tie my shoelace a little later. I wasn't sure if I could stand back up again! Next thing I know, a volunteer is telling me it's just a mile!

Just a mile. Anyone can do a mile.

Made my way back up to the high school to the finish - still volunteers there, pointing me in the right direction. I hit the fence by the track and grab a volunteer.
"Where now?"
"Down and around the track."
"The long way?"
"Yep."
"Man, I don't want to interrupt the awards."
"Oh, you will, no matter what!"

At this point, I am out of steam, but moving - I walked the track, I think part of me figured I could sneak in, LOL. Next thing I know, the announcer has stopped and is saying, "Hey folks, this runner needs some cheering!!" And the folks did. And I couldn't keep walking. So, I start running, and I am laughing like an idiot and in my very outside voice suddenly I blurt, "Crap, you guys are gonna make me run!!" The announcer starts laughing and says, "You hate us right now, I am sure of it!" Managed to book it across the line (I have no idea how) and got the best present - cold water bottle with a wet towel around it. Stood in the timing tent in the shade for a couple seconds and the guys said, "Just so you know, you're not last."

I did it. Not last or last, who cares. I did what I set out to do, which was an Oly. Maybe not the prettiest Oly to the untrained eye, but it's perfect to me.

Nothing

Life is short. Live, laugh, love and play hard.


SO many wonderful volunteers. They stuck it out for a good long time and were sweet and cheerful and very encouraging.